Who Deserves Health Care?

Does the military deserve health care? Well, of course they do, silly! How could you even ask such a question? If our military was not healthy how would they protect our country if called upon to do so?

Do our teachers deserve health care? Of course! They are responsible for the education of our children! The future of our country!

Do our police officers deserve health care? Duh! How could they do their jobs if they were not healthy? They, like our military, protect us and keep us safe! They need to be cared for so they can do their jobs!

What about that waitress that makes less than minimum wage, that just brought you your expensive dinner? You know the one. You were planning on leaving her that substandard tip because she wasn’t quick enough for you due to the fact that the restaurant is understaffed and she’s covering two complete sections. The one that, even though she does not smoke has to breathe in the crap you are blowing out.

What about the plumber whose company doesn’t offer health care because he’s not full time? And why isn’t he full time? Because cutting back on his hours enabled his company to keep him but save money because he’s working fewer hours and they no longer are providing him with health care. Sadly, his wife is expecting twins and he’s praying that they will be healthy so he only has to pay for the delivery.

What do you say to the parent whose teenager has had cancer since they were little? The parent has had a good job complete with health care. Thank God because it’s made them able to care for their son throughout his ordeal, but now he’s graduating. He’s too sick to go to college. Too sick to get a job right out of high school. So after years of fighting to keep their child alive, what do they say to him? It’s been lovely, but we can’t afford to keep you alive anymore? The family would bankrupt themselves to save their child. You and I both know that. After bankruptcy where would they be? Where does that leave them?

You may say, well what about Medicaid? Medicare? You know who would cut their funding out from under them if given an inch?

Why is it so difficult to believe that a country is stronger with a strong workforce? With a healthy workforce? Why can we not believe that our workforce is better off and more productive when their basic needs are taken care of? We believe that for our military. We believe it for our civil servants.

So why are we against health care reform? Because it will bankrupt the country? Or at least more than our last President already did?

Because it will put the insurance companies out of business? Good.

Because the government can’t do anything right, so how will they ever be able to run health care? You mean apart from Medicare, Medicaid and our military health care system. They seem pretty good, although you’ll certainly catch people bitching about how they suck. They’d bitch even more if you took it away from them.

Because the legislation doesn’t prohibit abortion? So let’s throw the baby out with the bathwater! I’ll touch on that now…

The problem with completely prohibitive laws (or anything for that matter) is there is almost always an exception that needs to be addressed. Once you address that exception then there will be something else. For instance, I think most people would say that they wished there were no abortions. This isn’t a post to debate abortion. This is to merely illustrate a point. Despite what people may lead you to believe people don’t have abortions because they are fun!

An example, a woman is pregnant. She and her husband are thrilled. They already have some children, but this is such a welcome surprise. It is discovered during one of her doctor’s visits that she cannot carry this child. That if she does that she will most certainly die. The child has little hope of surviving. What an awful decision to make. I would never want to be in that position. I would also not want to widow my husband and leave my children without their mother.

You may say that God will provide. Let His will be done. There is nothing wrong with you saying that. You have your faith and beliefs. I have mine and my neighbors have theirs. We may share some beliefs or we may be completely different. Thus we have a separation of church and state. It's there for a reason and it's not to subjugate your faith. Believe what you want. Don't force it on anyone else. I can imagine someone telling an atheist that God will see them through their ordeal. Wouldn't comfort them as it may comfort you or I.

Some would respond to my scenario that the bill doesn’t outlaw an abortion. True, but the same people opposing the health care reform bill would like to. I digress, however, and will return to the point. If the family decides to terminate the pregnancy they should pay for it. Sounds logical. Please add to the end of this “and if you are poor you can die.”

OK. No abortion. Too touchy. Let’s talk another example. The legislation needs to prohibit cosmetic procedures. I heard this one several months ago. I don't know if anything regarding it made it into the bill, but my objective is to point out the ignorance in the extreme prohibitions. "I’m not paying for someone’s boob job!!!!!" OK. What if you, your mother, sister, daughter, etc survives breast cancer via mastectomy? Too bad, so sorry, but pay for it yourself? What if you or a loved one are in a car accident and you need reconstructive surgery? Oh, Ella, stop being ridiculous! Of course that would be covered! Not in the absolutely prohibitive terms that many legislators would demand.

But all the Republicans are asking is for this bill to be thrown out and to start over! Can we please leave the drug-induced fantasy world now and check into rehab (hope you’ve got good insurance to cover it!)? The Republicans are only interested in passing a bill that meets their complete approval. Some may say, what is wrong with that? Did we forget the art of compromise? Was that not what our elected officials should be doing? The problem is you cannot get many of our elected Republicans to compromise.

Yes, I am picking on our elected Republicans. Not Republicans in general. The elected Democrats and the President have made concessions in an attempt to make this a bipartisan bill. What they didn’t realize is that no matter what compromise they would make, no elected Republican would support it. Our elected Republicans showed quite clearly that it was their way or the highway. So when the elected Democrats realized this and decided that they would do it with or without bipartisan support it is then turned around on them. See how unwilling they are to compromise?!?! How shocking! I thought President Obama was going to be a uniter!

Then the statistics…the polls come into play! Did you know that a majority of Americans don’t support this legislation? Did you know that statistics can be twisted into anything you want them to be? Yes, the majority of Americans do not support the legislation…BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES MADE TO IT. They do not believe enough is being done. They believe it is too weak. Why is it too weak? Because concessions were made to court Republicans even though they never had any intention of supporting the legislation to begin with.

Republicans in Congress have held the needy in our country hostage claiming that they do it because of the fact that tax payer dollars would fund abortion. They shout out racial slurs toward their Democratic rivals and resort to name calling. No doubt it goes on from both sides, but is this really what our lawmakers should be doing? I mean I have long known that the best way to win an argument isn’t with facts and rational points, but with an outburst and a bit of slander. Honestly, is this what we have as our representatives? Oh how term limits would help!

And please, don’t spout rubbish spewed forth by anything from Faux News. I mean, hell, an excellent reason to pass health care reform is for Rush Limbaugh to move! Seriously….no sarcasm! I won’t sit here and say that Fox News lies. They don’t need to. Half truths work just as well. Although one might argue that a half truth constitutes a lie by omission.

Almost anything can sound bad when given out of context. They excel at doing that! Let's have an example shall we? "There are even some Democrats that won't support this bill! Even they don't support this kind of reform!" Makes it sound like those Democrats and the Republicans are kindred spirits. What they don't bother telling you is that there are many and varied reasons why some Democrats voted against the legislation and it wasn't because of a show of solidarity with their Republican counterparts, but rather they were against some of the changes made to the bill to appease Republicans. (Many reasons, this being only one!)

If you want to watch Faux News, watch Faux News. Just realize what they are. I watch MSNBC knowing that they are left leaning. But I also watch knowing to not believe everything I’m being told. Could we all form our own intelligent opinions and not merely vomit Glenn Beck quotes?

Think people. Think.

I have known people that have remained in the military because of a sick family member. They knew it was the only way for that child to be properly cared for. Some would call it noble. So would I. Not everyone qualifies for military service.

Is the person working 2 or 3 part-time jobs (or in some cases full time jobs) not working as hard to support their family as that executive pulling in million dollar bonuses? That hard worker doesn't deserve health care?

What I have noticed is that it is terribly easy to scoff at health care reform when people are sitting pretty and have health care. May you always have your health and your health care. Otherwise, you may end up learning your lesson the hard way.

And one parting thought: Who has the right to life? You say to save the unborn. How about saving those already born? Or are their lives not worth anything?